Category Archives: Music Instruments Types

Over the centuries, different musical instruments have evolved in China. Musical instruments in China are broadly classified according to the material they are made up of. Some of the traditional materials are silk, stone, gourd, bamboo, metal, clay, wood and skin. With time, the traditions changed and the taste of music has also marked a remarkable difference. With time, wood and stone instruments have become unfashionable. Another classification of the musical instrument is percussion, wind, and string instruments. Further, the stringed instruments are categorized as bowed string and plucked string instruments. Older time instruments include flutes, mouth organs, panpipes, long zithers, etc.
Some of percussion instruments were gongs, drums and clappers. With time, new art forms were accepted in China inspired from Central Asia such as fiddles and lutes. China has a unique blend of different types of music. Instruments used by them are too very versatile. A famous instrument in China is the Erhu, which is a bowed string type instrument. It is one of the most admired instruments in the Hu-quin family. It is basically a two stringed fiddle. It is similar to the Gao hu, another bowed string musical instrument.
Eruhu cannot play many high pitched tones thus Gao hu is used in place for higher pitched music. Brisk and vivid rhythms are performed very well by Gao hu. The tone produced by Gao hu is very bright yet louder. This is the reason it is used for both solo performances as well as for performing folk melodies. Cantonese operas are also well performed by these instruments. Another famous instrument is China is the Pipa, which is a plucked string musical instrument. It belongs to the family of lute. Basically, a four stringed lute with pear shaped body and 30 frets. Pipa is held in an upright direction by the musician. In China, the wind musical instruments are the most popular ones.

Music has many faces in Africa from social, ritual to ceremonial functions and some merely recreational functions. Music is highly respected in Africa and is considered to connect the visible world with the invisible world. Musical pursuits are greatly ritualized in Africa. Music in Africa is generally scaled of four, five, six or seven tones. Musical instruments in Africa provide us with different forms of music such as simple, sacred, humorous, elaborate and serious or maybe a combination of all. Instruments found here can be carved, beaded, decorated with skin or painted. All of them are known to send the messages of artistic styles, religious beliefs and entertainment practices of the people who worked in creating them.
In Africa, the most popular form of musical instruments is the percussion instruments. Africa includes a wide range of musical instruments some are traditional and many are a gift of the modernising society.
The sub- Saharan African region includes resonant solid instruments such as the xylophone, mbira and stamping tubes. In Africa Mbira, is loved by majority musicians. Different people from different cultures of Africa make use of Mbira for different types of music. Mbira is one of the best and most melodic instruments in Africa. It is used for both entertainment as well as cultural purpose. Other than Mbira other popular percussion instruments are rattles, cymbals, sansa, clappers, sticks and bells.
Drums are also very popular in Africa. Different varieties of drums include cylindrical drums, kettle drums, semi cylindrical drums, barrel shaped drums, goblet drums, hourglass drums, etc. All of these drums have varying tension heads. Wind instruments used in Africa are made using conch shells, horns, tusks or wood. Stringed musical instruments in Africa include zithers, pluckes lutes, musical bows, arched harps, lyres and harp lutes. Animal horns or tusks are used to make Panpipes, whistle, ocarinas, horns and oboe.

There are millions of musical instruments all over the world. Every country or state have their own traditional instruments. Musical instruments are classified in to different varieties depending on its specifications such as pitch, versatility, etc. Not all instruments can be used for all the types of music. There are a few instruments that you can also make at home. Little bit of practice will be needed by you and nothing else. Every instrument does not require any professional hand behind it. In fact homemade, musical instrument can provide you a very successful business venture. If not from the business point of view you can try it for personal interest also. It will be a great experience to make such an artistic object by you.
Even children at home can indulge themselves in making musical instruments. Before you are able to make a perfect musical instrument, you will need lots of practice. Even a single variation can spoil the functioning of the instrument. Making a musical instrument requires lots of precision and accuracy. Materials used for making musical instrument can be easily found in your nearby shops or even at home. You can use pans and old pots to make drums. In the same way use old spoons made of wood like drum sticks.
Coconuts can be used as musical clappers. Remove the meat from the coconut and then make use of it. Old bottles and containers can be filled with some materials like dried corns and dried beans to be used as bottle shakers. Homemade xylophones using glass bottles is a unique technique. Fill some colored water inside the bottle. Coffee cane can be used as drums and pencils or spoons can be used to beat the containers. Like this you can create your own musical tune. Take help from the internet to know more easy processes of making musical instruments at home.